The Ex Files (Ocean View #1)(73)

“Alright, T, we’ll see you soon,” he says, kissing her cheek.

“Sunday. Bring her or mom will die. Plus, Bella keeps bragging to Kelsey she met her, and it’s starting a tense cousin feud.” Luke laughs, but I can’t keep up. My mind is too far gone.

“Got it. See you Sunday. I’ll bring Cassie.” That’s a good sign, right? My annoying librarian and sex fiends are mysteriously missing. Tara smiles in our direction.

“See you then, Cass. It was great meeting you.”

I mumble a forced, “Yeah, you too,” before she walks off. I watch her go, trying to ignore Luke and the conversation to come. But of course, he doesn’t let me.

“My place or yours?”

“What?”

“Where are we spending the night, sweetheart?” His face is soft as he turns me in his arms, and it feels good. It feels so damn good to be wrapped up in his arms again, feeling his heart beating on the hand I place on his chest, looking up to him and feeling small even in my heels.

“Don’t we have to… talk?”

“Yeah, but no need to do it on the street, yeah?”

“Oh. I guess… uhm… I guess my place?” I mentally go over the mess waiting there, the mess of takeout containers, dirty clothes, and clutter lying around in my post-break-up cry fest. As much as I ended things to protect my heart, it’s clear it didn’t work. “Actually, your place.” Luke looks at me, seemingly reading my thoughts as he smiles before kissing the top of my head. Oh God, that feeling. The feeling of safety and security. I never thought…

“Where’d you park?” he asks, and I’m pulled from my reverie.

“What?”

“Where’d you park? Or did you get a cab from the office?” He looks up and down the street, looking for my car. My gut sinks.

“Oh, shit,” I say, pulling away and starting to walk briskly in the direction of the lot and my car. The lot I parked in over an hour ago and left without a paid meter on a Friday night. “Shit!”

“What the hell?”

“My car! I was so… frazzled.” Out of the corner of my eye, I see Luke smile with masculine glee. “Shut up. I didn’t pay the meter.”

“You’re so getting towed,” he says with a laugh, but for some reason, he slows down, laughing, holding my hand and pulling me to slow my pace.

“Luke! This is not funny! I’m going to get towed!”

“Trust me. You’ll be fine.” I try to tug at his hand, but he won’t go any faster, so I’m stuck walking the five blocks to my car at a slug’s pace, looking back and forth to see if cop cars will come blazing down the street to come take my car away, as if it would actually be that dramatic.

And my fears are realized when we enter the lot and right there is a big white tow truck starting to look at my car and get it hooked up.

“No!” Luke just laughs.

“Calm down, Cass.”

“Calm down?! Luke, they’re towing my car!” I try to pull away, to get to the truck, to bargain my life away so he won’t take it.

“No, they won’t.” He must be on something. Truly. Maybe I was right to say no, to push him away. Because he’s clearly out of his damn mind. “Hey Josh, how’s it goin’!” Luke shouts across the lot, and, to my shock, the tow truck driver looks at us and waves. We get closer, and Luke does that man-hug thing guys do before stepping back. “How are you, man?”

“I’m good! Just got a call; this one didn’t pay the meter.” The man hitches a thumb towards my car before reaching down towards some kind of a metal device, clearly meant to take my car away.

Except, on the side of the truck… I recognize it.

Jeff’s Garage and Towing.

From that first night, the card Luke gave me.

Luke’s work.

“That’s actually my girl’s car. She was in a rush to meet me, totally forgot.” He looks at me and smiles like he finds me and my antics cute. Inside I’m freaking out over my car, over the tow, and the fact he just called me his girl. Does that mean I didn’t fuck things up beyond repair?

“Oh, no way! You must be Cassie!” Josh takes a hand and wipes it on a rag, moving it towards me to shake my own. “I’ve heard a ton about you.”

“Uh, thank you. Nice to meet you.” I mumble the words, and he looks back at Luke.

“You won her back?” Luke smiles.

“I told you, I didn’t need to win her. I needed a game plan to get her back on my side.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. So I guess this one is a no-go. No worries, I got another right over there.” He hitches his thumb back to another car, and I feel bad for the poor guy who will have to deal with the tow.

“Thanks, I really appreciate it.” They say their goodbyes as I get into my car, starting it and blasting the heat as I rub my hands together. My mind is an ocean of confusion, thoughts, and insecurities floating by and leeching any remaining energy I have. Then the driver’s side door opens, Luke leaning in with an arm on the roof.

“Get out, babe.”

“What?”

“Get out. I’m driving us back to my place.”

“I can drive. I know the way.”